Tuesday, April 30, 2013

After more than a year, more than 75 recipes in my collection of "52 Uses for a Rotisserie Chicken", it's taken me this long to do a chicken wing recipe. Hard to believe since I LOVE Chicken Wings!!!

Of course there are only 2 wings for each rotisserie chicken, 4 pieces if you separate the drumette and the middle wing part (ditch the tips, no meat worth eating). If you count the wing pieces in the photo above you will count 8 pieces, certainly enough to make a $5 to $10 restaurant appetizer order. Not from a mutant bird, but they came from two birds. Been planning this recipe so I saved up.

Worked so well, going to be doing this again... often (look for Pineapple Jerk wings next week).

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

OK... Simple enough, here's what I did...

This really is very easy and the way just about any bar would cook and serve them, precook the chicken (they will fry them, so these are healthier) and toss in sauce...

Several drops (I used 12) fromTabasco Brand Hot Sauce (to taste, less if you like, more if you dare)if

Cooking Directions

In a Saute pan, over medium high heat, melt the butter

Add the Worcestershire Sauce and the Tabasco Sauce

Heat to just starting to sizzle and simmer

Add the wings, saute for 3 minutes until heated through and well coated.

Serve with BEER and ENJOY!!!

OK, as I said, not difficult at all...

First make the sauce... Heat the butter and mix in the Worcestershire sauce and the Tabasco sauce. Be careful with the hot sauce, know your audience. 12 drops is perfect for me, my gentle wife loves these with 6 drops and my Mother in Law would complain about 2 drops... To taste is the term.

Cut up the wings, they separate at the joints easily enough.

And simply toss in the sauce. Do the TV chef thing and toss or use tongs and turn to coat. Just get the wings well coated.

3 minutes is about enough time to coat, allow all that sauce to suck up into the chicken and completely heat the meat!

And Garnish with Sour Cream. If you used a lot of Tabasco, you may want to keep a glass of milk handy to cut the burn.

I am trying something a bit new this round of recipes... My own little culinary challenge of seeing just what I can do with a single rotisserie bird. This is a tiny bit of a cheat as I am using the wings from 2 birds, but you could easily do this with just the wings from a single bird

This is week Number three, chicken number THREE... and the Third recipe I made from the blessed bird. If you click HERE, you will see my page devoted to my "52 Uses for a Rotisserie Chicken" (now over 75!!!). Scroll down to the bottom and you will see some of the possibilities of what you can make with a single bird (week one, seven dishes, week 2 a record EIGHT dishes all from the same bird).

And now Chicken Wings!... with a breast and a leg that I made soup from (come back tomorrow for a new soup!!

My Goals for the experiment......

Eat Well... Make something that tastes good.

Recipes for 2 people. One of the great things about a rotisserie chicken is the versatility fr a quick meal for small dinners (breakfast and lunch). Save the BIG cooking for another day, let's have something for just my wife and myself (and young couples, empty nest couples and singles)

Versatility... Just how many rotisserie chicken recipes are out there???

Keep Track of the costs... Life on a budget, need I explain more?

Go beyond the basic recipes and add some tips and HOT TO Photos appropriate for less experienced cooks so that indeed...ANYONE CAN COOK THIS!

I hope the tips and extra photos helped...

***********

So, as to cost for this dish....

The chicken averages out to a dollar per recipe.
Butter, a bit of Worcestershire sauce and a dozen drops of hot sauce... Not sure how to price these pantry items as I always keep these around.

Total came in at just $1.... 12-13 Cents a WING!!!

A Great snack for the costs!
Stay tuned, come on back tomorrow and see what else I make from the single bird!

******************************************************

This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken" (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..You get the idea. From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking). More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following. If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write) Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2...

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only. If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work, If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites... Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Monday, April 29, 2013

Bananas... Healthy (and another reason to buy the BIG bunch of bananas so you have extra almost going bad brown bananas),

And a few other ingredients... Not so healthy.

BUT, at only 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, and PACKED with flavor, these are the best tasting almost healthy cookies I have ever tasted! I did add a bit of Cointreau, the Orange flavored liquor, but you could easily substitute orange juice if you prefer Virgin cookies for the kids.

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

OK... Here's what I did...

Drunken Healthy Banana Orange Craisin Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 Stick (6 TBS)Butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 CupBrown Sugar

1/2 CupHoney

1-1/2 Cups Flour

Zest from 1 Large Orange

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tspSalt

1/2 tspNutmeg

3 TBS Cointreau Orange Liquor (Can substitute Orange Juice)

1 Cup White Chocolate Chips

1 CupCraisins (Dried Cranberries)

1 Mashed Banana, old brown one

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Cream together the Butter, Sugar and Honey

Add Flour

Add Salt, Nutmeg, Baking Powder and orange zest

Add Cointreau

Add mashed Banana, Chocolate Chips, Walnut Pieces and Craisins

Drop by rounded Tablespoon onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees or until just starting to crisp on the outside. Inside will remain soft and chewy

Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely

Old school like classic criss cross peanut butter to new takes on interesting recipes like a beautiful Red Velvet with the cream cheese mixed inside the cookie, accented with white chocolate chips! Even a Pineapple Cream Cheese EASY Bar with only 5 ingredients!

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following. If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write) Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2...

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only. If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work, If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites... Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Sunday, April 28, 2013

A goal of mine (and an earlier blog post, double click the blue letters). In that post I go into details about the best way to achieve the goal of a making a seemingly simple flat bread, topped with a sauce and cheese. I have a never fail yeast pizza dough recipe, a deliciously fresh rich pizza sauce (from scratch) and a bit of history.

Once you learn the tricks of the trade, Pizzeria Pizza at home is simple and addictive. My dough recipe makes 4 dough balls, so each time I make pizza I have 4 canvasses to create. Generally I make a pizza Margherita (pictured to the right, sauce, cheese and basil). The Margherita is recognized by many as the first and original version of the modern pizza.

Another trick that the Italians know is that less is indeed more. Those loaded up pizzas with half a dozen or more toppings does not allow the great ingredients to shine. better to find something a little special (like a terrific spiced Italian sausage) and not hide the taste with lots of extras.

There is a trick to making meatball looking sausage pizza. I do form the sausage into a small ball, about half the size of a golf ball. Then I saute them in a TBS of olive oil just long enough to render out most of the fat, only a couple minutes but it keeps the pizza from getting soggy with sausage fat drippings.

As to the recipe... Well, that is not really the point of the series. It's just a chance to show variety, to make you ponder what you can do and if you have never, try it yourself. there are plenty of recipes, tricks and techniques to get you started over at the Pizzeria Pizza at Home 101 Post. Scratch sauce, Scratch Dough, history and LOTS of photo instructions to get started.

I used about 1/2 a pound of the sausage, mozzarella cheese and my standard sauce and dough (again, that Pizzeria Pizza link).

But as with most recipes, the basics can be learned in minutes; mastering the art will take a lifetime (or at least 52 tries). You can achieve success with my Pizzeria 101 Link, a cookie sheet, standard oven and items in most every kitchen. But... eventually you will want to try the toys of the trade So if you want to dig deeper, I recommend these books and items...

Of course, you remember everything I have said about Fritattas (think Italian Open faced Omelette). In this case, a basic Italian Omelette, the Frittata! I have done a couple of posts on making a Fritatta... A basic, sort of Fritatta 101, and a Tomato Fritata (see the photo). They are basically the same and I worked hard on the details so that indeed, "Anyone can cook" these if they read over the blog post. The Fritatta really is the easiest of all the omelette recipes to make. No vigorous shaking (the French), no Folding (This might be an American invention, certainly popularized in American cuisine).

Well, making a Firtatta has become a way of life for me. Aside from the two blog posts mentioned above, I stopped even looking at a recipe *they are simple, eggs, a little cream, butter for the pan and whatever extra you want to use). The technique is important, so do take a look at the Fritatta 101 post to see what I am talking about. I stopped asking permission to change the recipe long ago. Mostly I make fritattas from whatever I had for dinner last night. Fish, beef, pork, vegetables, cheese, salami... Everything but soup.

So, here's my new series... Once a week for a year I am going to give you permission to try something yourself... The Whatever I had for dinner last night Fritatta!

So, what I had for dinner last night was Curried Chicken Thighs. Pretty spicy actually So, I cooled the flavors down a bit by adding a tomato to the omelette and served some sweet pineapple as a side.

Dice up the chicken once it has been deboned, dice the tomato, slice the green onions.

Preheat the oven to Broil setting

In a Non Stick oven safe saute Pan, over medium high heat melt a TBS of Butter

Whisk together 4 Eggs and a TBS of Heavy Cream (sure,milk will work)

Add the chicken and 1/2 of the green onions and the tomato

Add the eggs gently over the chicken and vegetables

heat for 4 minutes on the stove top, until the eggs around the edge are set but the center is still jiggly wet.

Move the pan to the oven and broil for 2 minutes. Check to see if the top is set and is just starting to brown.

Repeat if needed

Flip the fritatta onto a preheated plate. This may take practice, but by the time you do a couple of weeks' worth you will have it down perfect, place a plate upside down over the saute pan, hold the bottom of the plate (now n top) solidly with the palm of your hand and holding the handle of the pan, quickly and smoothly, FLIP

Serve HOT and ENJOY! Serves two.

Now, what's your idea for a Whatever I had for dinner last night Fritatta?

Last week I had a rare plate of take out food, Sweet and Sour Chicken from my local Asian take out place.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Me, The original Snoop Dog and Charlie Brown are so excited to be back n the grill! Of course, it was pushing it just a bit, 50 degrees and even a tiny bit of drizzle... but I was still doing the happy dance around the patio.

My thighs came out perfect. I have a bit of a secret for grilling chicken thighs, that is to actually use your grill more as an oven. I have a muffin tin that I use, balance the thighs over the openings. Then place the tin in the grill. this way, the chicken juices and the marinade/glaze pools in the bottom of each cavity, begins to heat and steam, thus steaming the thighs from below.

No more dried out chicken off my grill!!!

With this grilling secret... the hot are circulating around the top of the chicken browns it beautifully, crisps the skin perfectly and the hot steamy pool of drippings below adds moisture and a flavor punch from below.

Swap out whatever sauce and rub you might like and perfect thighs every time!

Really!!!

This way you too can do the Snoopy Summertime dance around your patio too!

This was served on a bed of Ramon Noodle/Broccoli Slaw (sweetened to contrast the heat from the curry), some Blue Cheese Potato Salad and a few loaded up Pimento Cheese Bacon Burgers!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons. Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following. If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write) Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2...

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only. If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work, If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites... Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Friday, April 26, 2013

The sauce is made from white cheddar cheese... If I had thought about the blog, I probably would have used a yellow cheddar, but... ah well.

The sauce is incredibly easy, just two ingredients. The trick is to grill potato wedges. No real trick, just some knowledge that will save the BBQ Day...

You can NOT grill potato wedges.

They are too thick and by the time you have the outside crispy crunchy and perfect, the inside is still raw. So, the trick is to get them crispy crunchy and perfect on the outside and yet the insides are perfectly cooked as well... like a baked potato.

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

And that's the trick.

These are microwaved baked potatoes (slightly al dente), then moved to the grill to finish. A bit of a cheat, but this way they are always exactly right!

My microwave has a very convenient button that allows you to set the potatoes in the oven, push a button, tell the internal computer how many potatoes you have and bung bang boom, you have fast baked potatoes.

I set the machine to one less potato than I am actually cooking. This way they are not overcooked by the time you serve. Like I said, slightly al dente (undercooked). But by the time you are finished, you have crispy crunchy perfectly cooked inside and out ready to serve!

The sauce is very very easy...

1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup freshly grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

In a small sauce pan, add the sour cream and heat. Add the cheese and stir occasionally until the cheese is melted. You can even do this on the grill if you have the grate space.

pour over the wedges and garnish with sliced green onions and a little paprika.

So, one night on the grill. The whole platter took about 20 minutes to prep, another 20 minutes on the grill and you feel like the king of the world's back yards!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons. Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following. If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write) Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2...

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only. If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work, If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites... Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Thursday, April 25, 2013

One of those thick loaded up things that takes a couple of minutes of engineering how you are going to eat the thing. A double napkin juicy delicious fellow that drips goodness. Be sure to save that last but of bun to sop up the sauce and juices that fell out.

THIS IS GRILLING!!!

Oh, and one more thing... I certainly want everyone to enjoy my food and I do recognize that not everyone likes blue cheese. BUT, at the same time, I am not a short order cook. When I plan a menu, invite friends and family over, this is what I am making. I do double check and ask if anyone dislikes blue cheese, but I do not ask, "What kind of cheese do you want?". I will make a bald burger (no cheese) for anyone who volunteers a blue cheese aversion, but these are what I am serving. In order to pull off the entire menu, I simply do not have the time, energy or inclination to make different styles of burgers for everyone. If I make a potato salad (of which there are over a hundred recipes), no one tries to have that dish altered. Be confident in your dish. Make something special and it WILL be appreciated. Serve a well thought out menu (even at a BBQ) and Just a pet peeve of mine.

I already covered Grilled Pineapple in an earlier post. Those grilled pineapple slices are what makes a Hawaiian Burger, Hawaiian!

I also covered Grilled Onions in yesterday's post. The sweetness of the pineapple and the natural sweetness that comes out when you grill the onions is a great contrast in taste when you add the Earthy, herbal, creamy Savoriness of a Gorgonzola Blue Cheese Sauce.

My Mouth is watering in anticipation!

Oh, and one more thing before I get to the sauce... I certainly want everyone to enjoy my food and I do recognize that not everyone likes blue cheese. BUT, at the same time, I am not a short order cook. When I plan a menu, invite friends and family over, this is what I am making. I do double check and ask if anyone dislikes blue cheese, but I do not ask, "What kind of cheese do you want?". I will make a bald burger (no cheese) for anyone who volunteers a blue cheese aversion, but these are what I am serving. In order to pull off the entire menu, I simply do not have the time, energy or inclination to make different styles of burgers for everyone. If I make a potato salad (of which there are over a hundred recipes), no one tries to have that dish altered. Be confident in your plan. Make something special and it WILL be appreciated. Serve a well thought out menu (even at a BBQ). Your polite guests will enjoy and do what their Mamas taught 'em... Enjoy the experience (and stop at McDonald's on the way home if they have to). Just a pet peeve of mine.

The sauce...

1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Gorgonzola crumbles

In a small sauce pan, over medium low heat, add the sour cream and heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the Blue Cheese crumbles and stir occasionally for another 5 minutes until everything melts (this can all be done on the grill if you have enough space).

Serve on the side or be dramatic and drizzle on each burger!

As I said, I may make a bald burger if I must, but picture yourself carrying a platter of these bad boys, Hawaiian Burgers with Potato wedges with a Cheddar Cheese sauce (tomorrow's post) and more grilled pineapple for dessert

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop... Over 100 in one grilling season (I love to grill!). But not just leat... Drinks, Condiments (LOTS of different BBQ sauces), Drinks, Desserts... even specialty items like GRILLED Pizza, and fun shaped Watermelons. Easy and these ideas will make you the MASTER of your Backyard Domain!

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following. If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write) Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2...

In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.

And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only. If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work, If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites... Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

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About Me

Cul de Sac Cuisine. Making the most of local, fresh and best the suburbs have to offer. Just a little healthy eating, but always instructional and inviting. The suburban Cul de Sac is where it's at, and my back yard is the place to be!